In a combine harvester, a harvesting device is used to harvest crops, and a threshing and separating device is used to separate grains from the harvested crops. DE 32 14 161 C2 disclosed a threshing and separating device with combined tangential and axial flows. Currently, this kind of threshing and separating device has become a standard configuration for a large-size harvester which has a feeding rate greater than 7 kg/s. For crops whose grains are not easy to be separated and whose stalks have a good toughness, for example, rice, however, damaged grains and blockage are common problems often experienced in a combine harvester comprising such a threshing and separating device. The above problems will result in increased power consumption of the combine harvester. And the above problems become particularly significant in combine harvesters having a greater feeding rate.
An object of the present invention is to solve or at least reduce one or more of the above problems.